(Best E Casino) - Oft-injured pitcher Mike Hampton will give it another shot this afternoon, when he makes his 2008 debut for the Atlanta Braves in the second installment of a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Hampton has been on the disabled list the entire season due to a strained left pectoral muscle, and hasn't pitched in the majors since August 19 of the 2005 season. He was rocked for seven runs on 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings that day versus the San Diego Padres. Injuries have hampered the two-time All-Star's health over the past few years, and Hampton is currently in the final year of an eight-year, $121 million contract.

The left-hander strained his left pectoral muscle while warming up for his season debut on April 3, and then aggravated the problem during a rehab start on April 30. Hampton then injured his groin earlier this month, but manager Bobby Cox feels he is ready to go against Philadelphia. He is 10-7 with a 3.05 earned run average in 29 career games (26 starts) against the Phillies.

Atlanta has won two straight and six of its last nine games, including Friday's 8-2 triumph over the Phillies in the series opener. Starter Jair Jurrjens tossed eight shutout innings and allowed three hits, walked one and struck out six for the win.

Brian McCann hit a solo homer and a grand slam to highlight the offense, as the Braves snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Phillies. Kelly Johnson finished 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored for Atlanta, which played without All-Star third baseman Chipper Jones because of a strained left hamstring.

The Braves are 3-1 on a six-game road trip and 18-33 away from Turner Field this season.

Kyle Kendrick gave up one run and scattered seven hits over six innings to take the loss for Philadelphia, which fell into a tie with Florida for second place in the cluttered NL East standings. Both teams trail division-leading New York by two games.

Ryan Howard clubbed his major league-leading 30th home run of the season -- a two-run blast -- for the stumbling Phillies, who have dropped three straight and five of their last six contests.

The Phils hope ace Cole Hamels can remedy their current funk when he takes the mound on Saturday afternoon. Hamels is 9-6 with a 3.11 earned run average in 21 starts this season, but is winless over the past three starts (0-1). He did not record a decision the last time out on July 20 at Florida, as he gave up just a pair of runs in eight frames of a 3-2 loss.

Hamels, a left-hander, is 5-2 with a 3.20 ERA in eight career starts against the Braves. He beat them on July 3 this season down south, allowing only one run in 8 2/3 innings of a 4-1 victory.

Philadelphia owns the Braves this season, having won eight of the 10 matchups so far. The Phillies won two of three games at Citizens Bank Park from May 13-15.